Gas-meter-protection means



May 4 1926.

1,583,694 D. LAMBERT GAS METER PROTECTION MEANS Filed August 26, 1925 Fig: 1.

23 gwuemtow Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES g 1,53%94 PATENT oF Ic DAVID N. LAMBERT. OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAs-ME'rER-rno'rnoTIoN MEANS.

Application filed August 26, 1925. Serial No. 52,646.

the same is to provide simple and effective devices in connectionwith a portion ofthe meter to prevent any possibility of tampering with the valves or vulnerable parts of the meter by unauthorized persons I and thereby obstruct nefarious interference with the regular flow of gas through th'e meter and false registration of the amount of gas used by a consumer,

The essential feature of the invention is to introduce ba'flie means in the gas forked channels leadingfrom one of the pipes into the meter and having a slide valve coo'per ating with each fork, the improvement broadly consisting in disposing an occluding or baflie means at the juncture of the forks to prevent insertion of a wire or analogous device to lift, either of the valves from its seat and permit outflow of the gas for service purposes, to defeat the regular registration of the amount of gas used. I In the drawings a preferred construction of the improved occluding or baffle means associated with the forks or forked channels is illustrated as well as the modification of the ducts adjacent to their point of juncture to render the improved occluding feature more eflective in its operation. It will he understood in this connection that changes involving equivalent structures within the scope of the present invention are intended to be adopted and thatv the form of the occluding or baffle means shown as well as the modification of the shape ofthe ordi nary forks adjacent to their point ofjuno ture may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In thexdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the upper portion vofthe ordinary form of gas meter showing the improved strum ture applied thereto and also shown in see-1 tion.

Fig. 2 isa bottom plan view of the upper valve chamber of the meter, showing'the forked ducts or channels with the impreved' occluding or baflie means shown in dotted lines therein.

Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation of the forked ducts or channels, showing the improved baifie means therein.

Fig; & is a side elevation of the improved forked structure, showing the offset structure to render the occluding orb-afile means therein more effective:

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the forked duct or channel means and the improved occludin-g'or baffle device disposed therein.

The numeral "5 designates the casing or enclosure of the well known: form of gas meter having the lower diaphragm strueture 6 of the usual type and operating in a manner well understood, and an upper valve chamber 7 atopposite ends of which are :inlet and outlet pipes 8 and 9, the inlet pipe being continued under the valve chamber by means of a straight-duct 10, which has an upper port or opening 11, to admit-gas into the chamber 7. This chamber 7 has oppositely disposed slide valve organizations 12 cooperating with ports 13 and l i'arranged in pairs in connection with each valve 12. The valves 12 arereciproc-ated on'their seats 15 by crank mechanism '16 operated through intermediate mechanism by the diaphragms below and also having intermediate mechanism as at 17 which control the registration of the amount of gas'used by means of the usual and well known form of dials. Channels 18 also establish communication between the diaphragms and valve chamber so that gas may enter the diaphragms in the usual manner and a part of the ports, or the outer ports 14 controlled by the valves 12 together with the lower portion of the casing-exterior of the diaphragms, for well sure or cover. The valve seats .15 alsov have intermediate ports 20', as shown by dotted. linesin Fig.2, which communicate with the inner extremities of the forks 21 leading from the o positely disposed, alternately operating va ves to theoutlet pipe or-memher 9."

T e are going tr c re i We l ikiwwn n the art and the operation t hereof readily understood and need not be further explained.

The improved features of the invention consist in providing the usual forks or channels, 21 at their point of juncture as ordinarily constructed of greater dimensions for increasing the size of of the juncture cham ber 22 by forming outwardly projecting offsets 23 as a part of the forked channels and then converging the walls 24 towards the point where the outlet pipe or tube 9 has its lower open extremity 9 applied to the end of the meter casing, the application of this varied form of the chamber 22 at the junctureof the forked channels or ducts 21 being clearly illustrated by Figs. 2 and 5. By forming the offsets 23 the forked channels 21 are positioned farther inward, as it were, for the purpose of structurally coopcrating with an occluding or baiiie means consisting of two outwardly converging walls or partitions 25 in alinement with the inner Walls of the channel forks 21, the walls or partitions 25 extending outwardly in divergent directions far enough over the forked channels in rear thereof to prevent the insertion of a wire or other analogous vdevlce into the said channels.

The walls or partitions 25 have their outer free ends bent at inward angles to form guards 26, which will serve as catching or retaining means and prevent movement of a wire that may be inserted into the outlet pipe or tube for the purpose of passing into the forked channels. ,The walls or partitions 25 with the offsets 23 also produce shielded passages 27, torender the insertion of a wire or analogous device into the forked channels more difficult. The occluding 'or bafiie means or walls or partitions 25 and the other features of construction just specified do not in the least interfere with the free outflow of the gas into the outlet pipe or tube 9 under normal conditions.

In the type of meter shown and embodying slide valves alternately operating to regulate the ports as hereinbefore noted, it is obvious that sufficient play of the valves is necessary to give them a sliding action, but when these valves are in engagement with their seats, they are non-leakable and all gas passing into and out through the outlet pipe or tube 9 will have been registered as to its quantity or cubic measurement.

Many methods have been devised to de feat the regular working operation of the mechanism of meters embodying the usual form of unobstructed forks or forked channels between the valve chamber and the outwithout registration as to quantity. It will be understood that the ports 20 communieating with the forked channels or ducts 21 allow thepas sage of gas that has been properly measured into the said forked channel or ducts, and the use of the forked channels or ducts and alternately operating valves results in a regular outflow of the gas with out pulsation, or the gas enters the outlet pipe or tube 9 in regular flowing quantity. It will be seen that the occluding or baffle means comprising the outwardly converg ing walls or partitions 25 are disposed in such manner that the angle of juncture of these walls or partitions is directly opposite the lower open end or portion of the pipe or tube communicating with the forks or with the chamber 22 of the latter, and the said walls or partitions will always be long enough to obstruct movement of a wire into either forked channel or duct. The angular passages 27 will also serve as an obstructi on even though the end of the wire inserted may be turned in such manner as to pass the outer guards 26 of the walls or partitions 25, and under the latter conditions the end of the wire will strike against the offset wall 23 and be obstructed in its movement into either forked channel or duct.

The improved device is exceptionally simple in its structure and may be easily applied to meters now in use at a minimum expense as well as in the primary construction of meters.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a protection means for a meter of the class specified, the combination with valves, diaphragm means and a tubular conduit, of forked channels, between the tubular conduit and the valves, formed with an outer juncture chamber and baffle means continuing from the inner walls of the channels at the outer junctional portion of the said channels to prevent insertion of means into the tubular conduit and displacement of either of the valves, the said bafiie means continuing into the juncture chamber a suflicient distance to obstruct direct entrance into the channels.

2.111 a protection means for gas meters ofthe class specified, the combination with the usual valves, diaphragms and cooperating mechanism between the diaphragms and valves and the registering mechanism, of a pipe communicating with the interior of the meter, forked channels leading to the valves and providing communication between said valves and the pipe, and means extending completely across at a'distance from the outer open portions of the forked channels for preventing insertion of a device through the pipe and channels to reach the valves for the purpose of nefariously raising the latter. 7

35111 a protection means for a gas nete" the classspecified, the combination with controlling valves, diaphragms and mechanism between the valves and diaphragms and registering means, of a gas flow pipe across and covering direct entrance into the outer open ends of the forked channels to obstruct the introduction of a device into either channel for the purpose of nefariously raising either valve to permit gas to irregularly pass into the pipe. I

4. In a protection means for gas meters of the class specified, the combination with diaphragms, valves cooperating with the diaphragms, mechanism between the valves and diaphragms and also cooperating'with registering mechanism, of a gas outlet pipe communicating with the meter, and forked channels between the said pipe and the valves and having an outer'enlarged juncture chamber with angular side walls including offsets adjacent to the point of juncture of said channels and further provided with baffle walls projecting into said chamber and continuing from the inner walls of the channels and terminating in inwardly bent angular guards at a distance from the said offsets to obstruct the introduction of a device into either of the channels for unseating the valves for the purpose of nefariously using the gas by leakage thereof through the valves into vthe pipe.

my hand. I 7

DAVID. N; LAMBERT.

a 40 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 

